Process and machine for making crank-shafts for engines, compressors, and the like



L. I. YEOMANS.

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CRANK SHAFTS FO'R ENGINES, COMPRESSORS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, I917- 1,378,642. 1 Patented May 17, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. I. YEOMANS.

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CRANK SHAFTS FOR ENGINES, COMPRESSORS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZS. 1917.

1 378,642. Patented May 17, 1921.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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L. I. YEOMANS. PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CRANK SHAFTS FOR ENGINES, COMPRESSORS, AND THE LIKE.

MPLICATION -FILED JUNE 25, I917- 1,378,642, I Patel lted May 17, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- L. I. YEOMANS.

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CRANK SHAFTS FORI EN GINES, COMPRESSORS; AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNE 25| IDIY- 1,378,642. Patented May 17, 1921.

EIIIIMIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIII IIIM IIIIIIIIIII IIWII L. I. YEOMANS. PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CRANK SHAFTS FOR ENGINES, COMPRESS OBS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, I917- 1,378,642.

Patented May 17, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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, LUGIEN I. YEQMANS, OF CHICAGQ ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

AMALGAMATED MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION @F DELAWARE.

PRKICESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CRANK-SHAPES FOR ENGINES, COMPRESSORS, AND THE LIKE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 17, 1921.

Application filed June 25, 1917. Serial No. 176,689.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUoInN I. YEoMANs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of -Ill11lOlS, have invented certain new and usecated as to make the entire operation exceedingly slow and expensive. In fact, the rate at which engine crankshafts can be machined with existing apparatus has been the factor limiting the rate of production of engines and hence of engine-driven vessels, a matter of particular importance in an emergency requiring the rapid building of large numbers of ships.

The object of this invention is to provide a method of and means for producing crankshafts which shall permit such shafts to be manufactured in much less time and at less expense than heretofore.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, are views showing successive stages in the manufacture of a crankshaft. Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is an end view of the finished crankshaft. Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a machine embodying features of my invention, the view being taken in the plane of dotted line 1111 of Fig. 12. Fig. 11 is a section on line ca of Fig. 11. Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 13 is a fragmental vertical sectional View through another machine embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 14 is a top plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a section on dotted line 15-15 of Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a fragmental side elevation'of a machine for takin the finishing cuts on the crank-pin. Fig. 1% is a top plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 16. Fig. 18 is a fragmental side elevation of a machine for roughing out the crank pins of a type of crankshaft different from the one shown in Figs. 1 to 7. Fig. 19 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 18. Fig. 20 is a top plan view illustrating a modification of the machine represented in Figs. 18 and 19.

The crankshaft herein illustrated comprises four cranks, but it will be understood that the invention may be used in connection with the manufacture of shafts havin a larger or smaller number of cranks. he machines shown in Figs. 11v to 17 inclusive, are especially adapted for turning crankshafts which are to be machined allover, while the machine represented in Figs. 18, 19 and 20 is designed for machining crankshafts of which only the crank-pins are to be turned.

In Fig. 1 is illustrated a forging A comprising the alined shaft-portions a and the slabs b from which the cranks are to be formed. The slabs are herein shown as lying in one plane.

The forging shown in Fig. 1 having been produced, the next step in the manufacture of the shaft is to form a cut in each slab. This may be done in any suitable way, as by drilling a row of holesc defining the inner side of the crank-pin blank. The forging is then out along the lines a? and the metal bounded by the lines d and the rows of drill holes 0 are removed, thus producing the crank portions shown in Fig. 3. The shaft is then forged to place the cranks in the desired radial planes, as shown, for example, in Fig. 4. The shaft is then placed in an ordinary lathe or other suitable machine where the alined shaft portions a are turned to their final diameter, as indicated in Fig. 5. The shaft is then transferred to the machine shown-in Figs. 11 and 12. Said machine is provided with means for rotating the crankshaft upon its axis. The shaft may be secured to the shaft-rotating means in any preferred manner. If the shaft be relatively light it may be mounted between centers and driven by means of a face-plate as in an ordinary lathe. If, however, the shaft be so large or heavy that this method of mounting and driving the shaft is impracticable, the machine may be provided with alined bearings such as those indicated at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively, to receive and rotatably, support the alined ournals or shaft-sections f. g, h, z', j, 70 and Z. The bearings 1 to 7, inclusive, are provided with detachable caps to permit the insertion and removal of the shaft. The shaft may be driven from any suitable portion thereof as from either or both of its ends, being herein shown as driven from bothends. The ends of the shaft may be connected to the shaft-rotating means in any suitable manner, as, for example, by shrinking and keying cast-iron disks 8 thereon, and by bolting worm wheels 9 to said disks. These worm wheels mesh with Worms mounted upon shafts 10 which are driven in any suitable manner.

The turning of the cheeks and the crankpins of the cranks may, if desired, be divided into a suitable number of stages. Herein I have shownthe inner and outer cheeks and the end portions of the crank-pins as being turned in the machine shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the middle portion of each crank-pin as being turned in another generally similar cutters 13 provided with cutting edges adapted to turn the inner or outer cheeks, as the case may .be, as the cranks revolve past the cutters. Any suitable means may be provided for feeding the slide 12 toward the crank-shaft in order that the entire surface of the cheeks may be machined. The means herein shown for this purpose is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 13, 14 and 15 and comprises a lead screw 14 engaging a nut 15 carried by the slide, said screw being rotated to advance the slide step by step.

The lead screw 14 is connected by means of bevel gears 16 to a shaft 17 which is provided with a ratchet wheel 18 arranged to be rotated by means to be hereinafter described.

The crank-pins are turned by means of tools supported by the crank-pins themselves. Upon referring to Figs. 11 and 12 it will be seen that the machine comprises a number of cross-heads 19 corres onding to the number of cranks in the sha t, these cross-heads being connected to the cranks by means of connecting arms or pitmen ,20 which serve as tool-carriers. The connecting arms 20 are connectedat one end to the slides at 21 and are provided at their op'po- .site ends with bearings 22 comprising a lower semi-circular section 23 and an up er semi-circular section-24 which is remova ly held in place by means of screws 25. In

order that the crank-pin (which has not yet i been turned and therefore is of generally rectangular form in cross-section) shall be able to revolve within the bearing 22, I cast upon the crank-pin a disk 26 of suitable material, as, for example, Babbitt metal, the axis of said disk coinciding with the axis of the crank-pin. The disk of Babbitt metal may be cast upon the crank-pin before or after 'the crank-shaft is placed in the machine illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12. If desired, the bearing 22 may be used as the mold in which to cast said disk, suitable plates being placed at opposite sides of the bearing to confine the molten metal until it has set. In order to prevent sidewise displacement of the bearing 22 longitudinally of the crank-pin, suitable means may be employed; for example, the bearing 22 may be provided with an annular groove-27 (Fi 11) to contain a peripheral flange or rib 28 on the disk 26.

Upon each connecting arm 20 is mounted a slide 29 carrying, in thepresent embodiment, two tools 30, each provided with a cutting edge adapted to turn the adjacent inner cheek of the crank and a cutting edge adapted to turn the end portion of the crank-pin. The slide 29 is advanced by suitable means, as, for example, that heretofore described in connection with the .slide 12, namely, a lead screw 14 arranged to be turned byv means of a ratchet wheel 18. The

ratchet wheels 18 carried by the connecting arms 20 are arran ed to engage pawls 31 mounted upon brac ets 31 fixe the supports 11 are turned by pawls 32 pivoted upon brackets 33 fixed to the crossheads 19. It will be seen that in the reciprocation of the cross-heads, the ratchet .wheels 18 will be turned-to advance the 12. There the middle portion of the crankin is turned by means of a tool 34 carried y a slide35 mounted upon a connecting arm 36, said connecting arm being pivoted at one end to a cross-head 37 and being provided at its opposite end with two axially alined bearings 38 adapted to be supported upon the turned end portions m of the crank-pin. The bearings 38 have removable caps to permit of the reception and removal of the crank-pin. The slide 35 is advanced by means of a lead screw 14, nut 15, ratchet wheel 18, and pawl 31 similar to those here tofore described.

By means of the apparatus shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14, the crank-pins are turned to approximately the desired diameter. The crankshaft is then transferred to to the machine frame. The ratchet wheels 18 upon revaeea a generally similar machine illustrated in part in Figs. 16 and 17, where the turning of the crank-pin to the final diameter is completed. Referring to Figs. 16 and 17 39 is a connecting arm or tool carrier generally similar to the tool carriers 20 and 36, one end of the tool carrier being slidably and pivotally supportedin a suitable manner, as, for example, that illustrated and described in connection with the tool carriers' 20 and 36. At the other end of the tool carrier 39 is a hook 40 adapted to be supported directly upon the crank-pin p, said hook being provided with a suitable wear plate 41 and an adjustable wear block 42. The cutter 43 may be supported and adjusted in any suitable manner, as, for example, that, described in connection with the tools 13, 30 and 34. The crank-shaft is rotated slowly so as to revolve the crank pin p against the tool 43, the machine being stopped at intervals while the operator inspects the work to determine when the desired diameter has been reached.

I have thus far described apparatus especially designed for turning a crank-shaftwhich is intended to be finished all over. In some forms of forged crank-shafts, however, only the alined shaft sections or journals and the crank-pins are turned. A machine which may be used for turning the crank-pins of the last mentioned type of crank-shaft is illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19, said machine comprising bearings 44 to receive the alined journals of the crank-shaft. The shaft is rotated in any suitable manner. The machine comprises tool carriers 45one for each crank-pin p. The crank pin 39', being a rough forging, is rendered capable of supporting the tool carrier 45 by casting around the crank in a sleeve of Babbitt metal 46. The too carrier 45 is provided with a hook 47 adapted to fit over the sleeve 46 and thus support one end of the tool carrier, the other end being pivotally and slidably supported in a suitable manner, as for example, that disclosed in connection with the tool carriers 20 and 36. On the tool carrier 45 is a tool 48 arranged to be fed in a suitable manner, as, for instance, that described in connection with the tools 13, 30 and 34. The tool 48 is somewhat wider than one-half of the length of the crank pin. When this tool has removed the Babbit metal sleeve 46 and machined its portion of the crank pin to the approximate diameter, the shaft is transferred to the machine shown in Fig. 20, said machine being identical with the one shown in Figs. 18 and 19, save that the tool carrier 45 has a hook 47* adapted to fit over the turned portion of the crankpin, the tool 48 being arranged to i turn the remainder of the crank-pin. The crankpin having been thus turned to the approxt tween two fixed guides 50.

It will be seen that in the machines herein shown for turning the crank-pins and cheeks of crank-shafts, the tool carriers are supported by the crank-pins themselves, and that the tools are supported close to the work. By reason of these two features, simplicity of mechanism and av high degree of efficiency in operation are attained. Rapidity of operation with a correspondingly large production is thereby rendered possible.

I claim as my invention:

1. A crank-shaft lathe having, in combination, means for supporting and rotating a crank-shaft, said shaft having a disk of metal of low fusing point cast upon the middle portion of a crank pin of the crank-shaft, a tool carrier having a bearing adapted to contain said disk, a tool on said carrier posicrank shaft, a tool carrier having a ,hook

adapted to receive a crank pin of the shaft and thus support the tool carrier, a tool on the carrier adapted to turn the crank pin, and means for feeding the tool, said tool being positioned so that its engagement with the pin tends to move the pin into the hook.

3. A crank-shaft lathe having, in combination, means for supporting and rotating 2. crank-shaft having a sleeve of metal of low fusing point surrounding the crank-pin, a tool carrier having a hook adapted to fit over one end of said sleeve and thus support the tool carrier, a tool on/the carrier adapted to turn the ortion of said sleeve and the inclosed portion of the crank-pin located at one side of said hook, and means for feeding the tool, said tool being positionedso that its engagement with the sleeve and pin tends to force them into the hook.

4. A crank-shaft lathe having, in combination, means for supporting and rotating shaft, tools supported from the crank-pin of the shaft for turning the crank-pin and the inner faces of the cheeks, and means for the era feeding said tools, said tools being posithereon adapted to operate upon the inner cheek surfaces and the pins of the cranks, and means operable bythe reciprocation of the tool carriers to feed the tools on the slide as well as the tools on the carriers.

6. A lathe for turning a crank shaft having, in combination, means for supporting a shaft, means for rotating the shafton its axis, a reciprocatory member pivotally connected with the crank pin of the shaft, a tool slide on said member carrying tools for operatin upon the inner cheek surfaces of as the shaft is rotated, a pair of relatively stationary tool slides mounted on opposite sides of the slide on said member andcarrying tools for operating upon the outer cheek surfaces of the crank as the shaft is rotated, and means operable by the recip-- rocation of said member to feed all of said slides to the work. 7. The process of turning the crank pin of a crank shaft which includes the step of partially turning the pin throughout a portion of its length, then partially turning the pin throughout the remaining portion of its length, and finally turning the partially turnedpin throughout its entire length to the proper diameter.

8. The process of turning crank shafts which includes the step of turning in one operation the inner and outer cheek surfaces of a crank of theshaft and also partially turning the portions of the crank pin adiacent the inner cheek surfaces, then partia ly turning the intermediate portion of the crank pin substantially to the .diameter of the previously, turned portions thereof, and finally turning the partially turned pin throughout its entire length to the proper diameter.

9. The process of making a crank-shaft consisting in forging the shaft, turning the alined shaft-sectlons or journals thereof, casting upon the crank-pin of the shaft an annulus of metal of low fusing point, sup porting a tool carrier upon the annulus, and

. rotating the shaft to revolve the crank-pin against a tool carried by said carrier.

ing on the portion thus machined, and machining the portion covered by the first bear ing, and subsequently machining the entire pin to exact diameter by a tool guided by and driven from the pin but adapted to machine the same over its entire length in a single cut.

. 11. A crank shaft lathe comprising a frame; bearings in the frame adapted to hold all of the journals of an engine crank shaft; a cutting tool mounted for movement toward a crank pin of said engine crank shaft, said cutting tool being held against longitudinal movement with respect to the crank pin; and feeding means for feeding the tool automatically in its movement toward said crank 12. A crank shaft lathe comprising a frame; a plurality of spaced-apart bearings adapted to hold the journals of an engine crank shaft; means for rotating the engine crank shaft; and cutting means mounted in he frame and adapted to cut the crank pins of said engine crank shaft when the latter is in said bearings.

13. A crank shaft lathe comprising a frame; a plurality of spaced-apart bearings adapted to engage and support an engine crank shaft against springing; and means mounted in the frame for cutting the crank pins of said crank shaft while supported in said bearings.

14. A crank shaft lathe comprising a frame, spaced hearings in the frame adapted to hold the ends of a crank shaft, bearings in the frame to engage the journals of the crank shaft, and cutting tools mounted on the frame and connected with the crank shaft for simultaneous operation therewith.

15. A crank shaft lathe comprising a frame, a bearing in the frame adapted to hold each of the journals of an engine crank shaft having three or more journals and cutting tools mounted in the frame adapted to cut the crank pins of said engine crank shaft. 16; A crank shaft lathe comprising a frame, means in the frame forsupporting an engine crank shaft and rotating the latter, and a plurality of cuttersslidably mounted in the frame andadapted to perform cutting operations on all of the crank pins of an engine crank shaft in said means at one time.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

LUCIEN I. YEOMANS. 

